= Osborne Coll. p.568; Lowndes, III, 1269. ONE OF THE EARLIEST COLOURING BOOKS FOR CHILDREN. The 94 fables appear in both French and English (with the French printed on the left hand side and the English on the opposite right), each accompanied by an outline illustration, which are believed to provide the earliest example of outline illustrations for children to colour, although the quality of the prose, not to mention the sophistication of some of the satire, may have been beyond the full appreciation of younger readers. The illustration to each of the ninety-four fables is a firm and able outline etching, perhaps inspired by fifteenth-century editions of Aesop and their outline woodcuts. The etchings are small, and some with human figures seem almost too detailed for colouring, but the outline of animals is simple and bold. When Kidgell, in exile for his debts, reissued the original sheets in Brussels in 1772 with new preliminaries, the new title-page points explicitly to this feature. No child has, however, spruced up (or defaced if you like) this fine set. Kidgell intended to publish the book in 1763, but - according to rumour - George III was so offended by the text that he bought up the entirety of the first edition to prevent its circulation. Kidgell was not deterred however, and simply reissued his book privately in 1764. Shortly afterwards, Kidgell was forced to flee England as a result of the crucial role he played in the Wilkes affair of November 1763. It was he who secured the sheets of Wilkes' Essay on Woman from his private press printer and supplied them to the Earl of Sandwich, an action which brought him disfavour from all sides in the dispute. In exile and poverty, Kidgell reissued his Fables once again in Brussels in 1772 with a new title-page reading "Original Fables... adorned with copper plates very proper for to colour". Our copy being this reissue, with different title-pages and preliminary leaves of the 1763 edition. Published anonymously, by John Kidgell. Pages 272-77 are misnumbered. Fine copy.